MP Shawkat beats up businessman for ‘not allowing him to overtake’
The businessman was also asked to hold the MP's feet and seek his pardon
A member of parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) allegedly beat up a fish trader in Patharghata, Barguna, for not allowing the MP’s motorcade to overtake him. The incident took place on the premises of Sheikh Russel Stadium on Wednesday.
The lawmaker is Showkat Hasanur Rahman alias Rimon from Barguna-2 (Bamna-Patharghata-Betagi) constituency.
The victim, businessman Nazrul Islam, is organising secretary of Patharghata BFDC Fish Wholesalers Association and former president of Patharghata pourashava’s ward 8 no. unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League.
Witnesses said MP Showkat Hasanur Rahman was chief guest at a football match organised by the upazila unit of BCL at Sheikh Russel Stadium in the afternoon marking the golden jubilee of independence. A microbus carrying the players did not allow the motorcade of the MP and his supporters to overtake it on the MP’s way to the ground. The incident made MP Showkat furious.
Later, the MP called Nazrul Islam, who was in the players’ microbus, to the stage and beat him up there. Nazrul Islam was asked to hold the MP's feet and seek his pardon.
The microbus could not allow the motorcade to overtake as there was not enough space on the road. The MP beat me up and abused me verbally on the stage and asked to hold his feet and seek pardon. I did not do anything wrong. Why should I seek pardon?
Patharghata pourashava mayor Anwar Hossain Akon, upazila Awami League president Alamgir Hossain, Patharghata BFDC Fish Wholesalers Association president Jahangir Jamaddar and a few other Awami League leaders and activists were present there.
Nazrul Islam said, “The microbus could not allow the motorcade to overtake as there was not enough space on the road. The MP beat me up and abused me verbally on the stage and asked to hold his feet and seek pardon. I did not do anything wrong. Why should I seek pardon?"
He further said, “We don’t know how an MP could behave in this way. I am also involved with the politics of Awami League. Seeing me in the microbus he became furious. He abused me without saying anything to the microbus driver.”
Indicating the existence of infighting, Nazrul Islam said, “Recently I hung up some posters of National Mourning Day on 15 August on behalf of former MP Golam Sabur and his wife Sultana Nadira, who is an MP from women’s reserved seat. Probably he has beat me up over this infighting.”
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Patharghata BFDC Fish Wholesalers Association president Jahangir Jamaddar said, “I’ve seen the MP slapping (Nazrul). Maybe he did something wrong.”
Patharghata upazila unit Awami League general secretary Jabir Hossain told Prothom Alo that he was not present at the stage during the incident. “When I went to the stage, the MP told me that he has beaten up a man, Nazrul Islam, for not allowing his motorcade to overtake. Such behaviour of the MP is unwarranted.”
Jabir Hossain further said that MP Showkat behaves that way every now and then. “The party suffers for such behaviour of the MP.”
Prothom Alo phoned MP Showkat Hasanur Rahman at his phone numbers but found them switched off.
Patharghata upazila parishad’s women vice chairman Fatima Parvin claimed that the MP did not beat up any person on the stage. She, however, said she did not know whether anything happened outside.